Robert “Bob” Kokstein
Robert “Bob” Kokstein, age 76, of Middletown, Delaware, passed away on Friday, January 19, 2024.
Bob was born in 1947 in Queens, New York to his parents, the late Emil and Ruth Kokstein and raised in Poughkeepsie, NY. After graduating from Roy C. Ketcham High School, he was admitted to the United States Naval Academy, where he studied Marine Biology and Biological Oceanography. Bob was a natural athlete who excelled in running, swimming and basketball. While serving in the US Navy, he was a Lieutenant on the USS Stonewall Jackson submarine. Later, Bob married Karen and they had three daughters. They lived in Pennsylvania where he received his MBA from Lehigh University. Bob was a high-level senior energy and power engineer in numerous Energy companies throughout his career.
Bob was an enthusiastic lover of music and was often found at music festivals, live concerts, or perusing yard sales and record stores for vintage records. If he was not out looking for records, he was in his living room listening to his beloved albums. Bob was an avid reader and participated in the community book club. He also enjoyed watching movies and providing recommendations for books, movies or new music artists.
His time spent traveling in the US Navy, led to a lifelong love of traveling the world and sharing the stories of his explorations with family and friends. As a member of a United Methodist Church congregation, Bob volunteered to oversee a major church renovation.
He is survived by his children, Heather, Heidi (Christopher), and Holly; grandchildren, Zella, Jacob, Graham, Hannah and Thomas; former wife, Karen; sisters, Joan and Cheryl (Steve); cousin, Lee (John); and many other beloved nephews and cousins.
A visitation for family and friends will be held from 12 pm until 1 pm on Sunday, January 28, 2024, at Spicer-Mullikin Funeral Home, 275 East Main Street, Middletown, DE, where a funeral service will begin at 1 pm. Interment will be held privately.
In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory can be made to the American Heart Association, PO Box 840692, Dallas, TX 75284-0692 or online by clicking here or the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation, 230 East Ohio Street, Suite 500, Chicago, Illinois 60611 or online by clicking here.
Mary Humphrey
Heart felt condolences to you girls. When I think of your dad, he’s laughing and smiling and making everyone else smile too. He was charming, witty, funny and so intelligent. He will be missed, but what a wonderful legacy he leaves behind in all of you and your children.
Tom Starr
Bob was a dear friend and one of the best leaders and mentors I have ever had. Our time working together was not long but provided huge professional and personal growth thanks to his leadership. My greatest condolences to his loving daughters , grandchildren and all those who knew and loved him. Bob, you will be so greatly missed.
Rudy
A good shipmate. Sailor, rest your oar. We have the watch.
Bruce Curatola
Bob was a friend and mentor while being my boss at GPUI. Some years later, I hired him to run a plant in Connecticut. It was a strange industry that we were in. I lost contact with Bob and googled his name, finding the obituary two months after he passed. I’ll play an old album today in memory of my friend. My condolences to the family.
Diane Yarget
My sincerest sympathy to Bob’s daughters and their families. I worked with Bob at Met-Ed and at Titus Station in Reading during the time he was getting his MBA. He put in long hours at the plant and then in the evening drove a long way to Lehigh in his old Volkswagen Beetle. A very hard worker! He was friendly and smart and I can’t think of anyone who didn’t like Bob. I remember when his girls were born. How proud he was! We hadn’t been in touch for sometime because people get switched around in the power industry, and I was stunned when a mutual acquaintance called today and told me he passed. Rest in peace old friend! Diane Yarger